Generic Company Place Holder Google Chrome to Phone

If you have a phone running Android 2.2 ("Froyo") or later, and use the Google Chrome Web browser (or Firefox) on your home computer, Chrome to Phone is a must-have.

This useful utility allows you to send a Webpage from the Google Chrome browser directly to your phone and have it be opened by the appropriate application. For example sending directions from Google Maps opens them in the Maps app, whereas a standard Web page opens in the Android Web browser. This is a simple, elegant way to share information between your computer and mobile device.

Click the Chrome to Phone location bar button while watching something on YouTube, and your phone opens up the video in the built-in YouTube player. The time between clicking the button and it being on your phone is usually about 2-3 seconds, which is incredibly fast.

To clip text from a Web page, simply highlight the text, send it to you phone, and it will be copied into your device clipboard. To dial a phone number from a Web page, highlight and send it--your Android powered device will open up the "Phone" screen with the number already dialed.

There is a minimum amount of setup required. First you need to download the Chrome to Phone extension for Chrome on your desktop. It will ask you to login to your Google account that you use with your phone. Do the same with the Chrome to Phone app on your phone, and you're off and running. (Note: There is also an add-on available called FoxToPhone that gives Firefox the same ability to send links to Chrome to Phone.)

Currently, the app does not support the use of Google Apps and only allows you to use one Google account at a time. Occasionally it seems to get hung up and the link doesn't come through. However, these are minor bugs that barely detract from the amazing potential of this bit of software.

In the future we'd like to see it expand its repertoire to include sending files, music, pictures, and apps. As-is, it's a great first step toward integrating the mobile and desktop Web browsers.

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